Hills to be home to city's first dog park

The city is getting its first dog park, and it's set to be adjacent to Olive Hills Park off East Nohl Ranch Road.

"The only difference between a dog park and any other park is that you can legally take your dog off leash," said Pamela Galera, principal project planner for Anaheim.

The city held a meeting last month in the area to gather public input on the proposed dog park. The master plan was adjusted based on feedback and is now heading to the Parks and Recreation Commission for approval, Galera said.

The dog park will go in an empty lot next to Olive Hills. The lot will be filled with grass, oaks, sycamores and coastal sage. It will be fenced off to ensure the dogs' safety, Galera said.

The tennis courts at Olive Hills will not be changed because of the dog area, Galera said.

Based on the public feedback, some of the park features will be:

No lighting so it can only be used from sunrise to sunset

Signage to warn people about coyote

An expanded parking lot for the existing park

A walking path

A bathroom

The park is expected to cost about $500,000, Galera said. Ground should be broken by the winter, and the park should be open within the year.

As the project progresses, information will be available on the city's website, anaheim.net, under the community services page. This is so the city does not have to keep holding community meetings, Galera said.

Two other dog parks are also in the works. A community meeting will be held May 16 for a dog area at La Palma Park. One will also eventually come to the west side, but the city has not found a location, Galera said.